Red Socks, White Socks | ✔️

35: Leaving

It was hard to leave Hellebore and the nymph sisters now that they have been so kind to them.

Olive, however, still didn't hesitate to leave. The Spring twins was obviously still in her mind. She dragged Caitlyn as the sun began to set, blanketing the entire garden in darkness. Few stars appeared in the sky.

"I still won't forgive those... cruel twins for what they made us do," huffed Olive, "what are they thinking? Making us tame these... Pixies! Who do they think we are?"

"Olive," Caitlyn said soothingly, "that was ages ago. Look, we only have to find the exit."

The two girls started again on their journey. But they have ended at the same place as before.

"This is bloody useless," said Olive, "we don't even know where we're going to. It's like running around in circles. Have you ever thought of asking help from the nymph?"

Caitlyn shook her head. "No, I think she's left already. She said not to look back, anyway."

Olive snorted. "You know, ever since we have entered this garden you have started to believe in the supernaturals too."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, it's just that--"

The trees rustled in the wind. A snowy white owl hooted in the nearby tree and gave them a curious look. Its piercing yellow eyes seemed to look through Caitlyn's soul.

"I can't find the exit," Caitlyn whispered, when she found the silence disturbing.

"Hey, remember the riddle that was posted at the entrance of the garden?" Olive said suddenly. "You know, the one in runes?"

Caitlyn looked at Olive curiously. The young ghost seemed to radiate with hope, energy, and she seemed more solid than her own body. "What did it say again?" Caitlyn asked.

"It went like 'the door will open for those who have hearts', I'm not sure though if that's what it actually said." said Olive. "It only spoke about the entrance, although it may have a connection to how we're going to find the exit."

"You mean... There might be another rune here?"

"Exactly," Olive said, proclaiming the word with such relish, "Another rune that could tell us -- indirectly -- how to find that damned exit."

Caitlyn pointed to a frosted plaque on the bark of a tree. Engraved were symbols and strange letters which were the runes they had to decipher.

Olive, kneeling down on the crunchy snow next to the tree, she whispered under her breath and stroked the plaque. "What is it?" Caitlyn said, after a moment of silence she could not bear with all the curiosity inside her, "Olive, what did it say?"

Olive's eyes were half amused, half scared. "I found it out," she began, "it was a rather hard rune. But I figured it out anyway."

"And?" prompted Caitlyn.

"It said 'you may have entered with a pure heart, but only those of brave souls can exit.'" replied Olive, her grey eyes now showing fear, "Or at least that's what I can understand from here. And oh," she added, before Caitlyn can start protesting against her, "it also said, 'if you can't find a way out, you're doomed here forever'."